Knitting machine



arch 19, 1 935. H. B. KNOX 1,994,476

KNITTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 15, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR? wmcm Kuwx bq MM ATTORNEYS March 19, 1935. KNOX 1,994,476

KNITTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 15, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR:

ATTORNEYS H. B. KNOX KNITTING MACHINE March 19, 1935.

4 Shee ts-Sheet 3 v INVENTOR- Hm e 13 Kmfw'lwubmm u ,Q J b F [.ll 1. d. m w

' ATTORNEYS.

March 19, 1935. H. B. KNOX 1,994,476

KNITTING MACHINE 7 Filed Ahg. 15, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. Hv'wu 8- W ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 19, 1935 KNITTING MACHINE Horace B. Knox, 'Belleville, N; J., assignor to Alfred ,Hoi'mann, Inc., West New York, .N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application August 15,

11 Claims.

This invention relates to knitting machines, referring particularly to the full-fashioned or cotton type of machine, the invention herein being shown applied to a machine of'the Schubert & Salzer make, although its principles are applicable to other makes and types of knitting machines for hosiery production.

The invention has for its main object the combining, mixing or blending of different yarns, or yarns from difierent cones, by the automatic interchange thereof at predetermined courses or groups of courses, and in a predetermined order. This system of combining or interchanging yarns may have several practical utilities; for example a predetermined number of courses may be knitted in a yarn of one character, material or color, and then a predetermined number in a yarn of a difierent character, material or color, producing stripes or striped effects; or the interchange may be made at every course, afiording a means of blending, mixing or combining yarns of difierent character, material or color. The handling of yarn from three cones-or of three characters is herein shown, but by the same principles the number of yarns may be increased, afiording very great possibilities in the way of efiects produced by mixing, blending, rotating or alternating of yarns. A particular utility of the invention is the blending of substantially identical yarns taken from different cones by interchange thereof in rotation in successive courses so that any irregularities or variations of character or quality will be diluted and thus rendered substantially unobservable in the finished product.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will be explained in the hereinafter following description of an illustrative embodiment thereof or will be understood by those skilled in the subject. To the attainment of such objects and advantages the invention consists in the novel knitting machine, attachments, mechanisms, combinations, mode of operation and method of producing hosiery herein illustrated or described.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is an elevation of a portion of a knitting machine embodying the present invention, looking from the rear.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 2 in diagram form shows a modification wherein one of the cam ratchet shifting pawls and its connecting rod or link are omitted.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a detail of the thread. carrier rods.

Fig. 4 is a right end'elevation of the mechanism of Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 5 is a detached top plan view of the control cam and its actuating ratchet.

1933, Serial No. 685,169 (Cl. 66-127) Fig. 5X intop plan shows a modified form of cam and ratchet.

Figs. 6 and 7 are perspective views of certain parts actuated by the cam.

Figs. 8 to 13 are a series of diagrams in top plan view showing the mode of operation of one embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings sufficient of the existing part of a standardtype of full-fashioned knitting machine is shown to explain the invention. Thus a system of eight carrier rods is shown bearing the conventional numbers 00, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, the first mentioned being the furthest rear in the machine, as seen in Figs. 2 and 4. These rods each support a depending thread carrier or yarn guide .8; and each is fitted to slide longitudinally for the laying of the corresponding yarn. For the purposes of the present invention rods 2, 3 and 4 are selected for'the yarn changing operations in carrying out the plan of interchange of yarns following certain courses or groups of courses. Each of these rods 2, 3 and 4, and for other purposes rod 6, is provided with a superstructure consisting of a pair of posts 9 spaced lengthwise and carrying at their tops an elevated rod 10.

Each of the elevated rods carries a coupling member, for example a notched block or fork to cooperate with a complementary coupling member, hook or lug to be described. For difierentia-- tion the four blocks or forks are designated 12, 13, 14 and 16 corresponding respectively to the rods 2, 3, 4 and 6. I

Other preexisting parts include the lengthwise reciprocating bar 20 from which the carrier rods 8 receive their motion, and carried upon it is shown the friction block 21 held frictionally to the bar by spring pressed friction members 22.

The friction block 21 is thus carried reciprocatingly with the bar 20, but herein is subject to limitation of movement by a pair of fixed stops 23 and 24. The bar is reciprocated endwise by power, for example eighteen inches, in proper timing or coordination with other parts of the machine, and herein the stops 23, 24 determine the length of reciprocatory throw of the main friction block and thereby the carrier rods. The stops themselves are preferably symmetrically shiftable adjustably to shorten or lengthen the throw, in coordination with corresponding adjustment of other parts, as the hosiery is to be connection thereof to the yarn rod stops, the

block stops being slidable on a convenient longitudinal member of the machine.

The reciprocatory movement of the bar 20 is of a constant extent considerably greater than the longest throw of the carrier rods, and each contact of the friction block with one of its stops is therefore followed by a substantial amount of sliding of the bar through the stopped friction block. As will later appear, this inevitable relative movement of the bar through the friction block after each carrier bar shift is utilized for the purposes of this invention, in eifecting the desired changes of thread carriers and yarns.

Near the right end of the friction block 21 is shown the usual coupling or hook 25 swin gable on pivot bolt 26 for coupling to it the carrier rod 00 to cause that rod to partake of the longitu dinal motion when desired, as when only a single thread is used; this however being shown swung back into inoperative position.

On top of the friction block 21 is attached a casting 27, its left end being flatly mounted upon the block, superposed by a plate 28 which extends laterally for cooperation with the fixed stop 23. The casting is formed with an elevated portion near its right end and at the right end has 9. depending lug 29 secured by bolt 26 between preexisting ears on the block; so that the casting is substantially a part of the reciprocating block.

At the top portion of the attached casting 27 is shown mounted a transversely slidable bar or selective slider 30 moving in a slideway 31 in the casting and held therein by a hold-down plate 32. At its front end the selector or slider 30 has a coupling in the nature of a depending lug or hook 34 adapted to engage one or the other of the coupling forks or notched blocks 12, 13, 14 or 16 of the rods, 2, 3, 4 or 6. A spring 35 is attached near the rear end of the slider 30,. at its under side, so as to pull rearwardly on the slider, tending to move it to its extreme rear position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4.

The shifts or adjustments of the slider 30 against the pull of its spring may be effected by a contact or roller 36 at the top side of the slider, acted upon by a cam 45 to be described to adjust the coupling 34 to one or another of the three positions corresponding to the yarn carrier rod couplings 12, 13 and 14. Instead of being mounted directly on the slider 30 the cam follower or roll 36 is mounted on a release arm 37 hinged on a pin 38, permitting the arm and roll to be swung manually out into the dotted line position of Fig. 4. By this arrangement the coupling 34 can be shifted for continuous cooperation with the front coupling 16 when no regular change of yarn is desired. The pin 38 may project as astop to determine this adjustment.

Instead of having the cam 45 operatev directly upon the slider roll 36, which might tend to produce a binding action, there is introduced an intermediate cam lever 40, shown separately in Fig. 6, carrying at its upper side a cam roll 41 engaging the cam 45, the side of the lever 40 in turn operating upon the roll 36 of the slider 30. The lever 40 is fulcrumed to the left on a special standard 42.

The cam 45, constituting an illustrative means to cause shift of the slider and interchange of yarns, is shown as turning loosely upon a fixed stu d 44 upstanding from the top plate 32 of the casting 27. The cam may rest upon the lever 40 to act on its roll 41, and is adapted to be turned intermittently, for example, between nine positions. Cams of various character and contour can readily be inserted and removed. The cam herein illustrated is shown separately in Fig. 5

and contains three complete cam contours, each occupying a third of the circumference and each in turn being sub-divided into three portions, providing nine dwells of which each group of three is a duplicate of each other group of three. Thus a dwell a is followed by a slant 1), a dwell c, a slant d, a dwell e and a slant I back to a new dwell corresponding to the first dwell a.

By this arrangement the yarn may be changed at every course, but a cam 45 such as shown in Fig. 5 manifestly could be subdivided so as to present a dwell a, extending for three or more courses of the fabric, a slant b, a dwell c extending for three or more courses, a slant d, a dwell e extending for three or more courses and a slant 1 back to the start, thus aifording a product in which one. yarn is used for three successive courses, then another yarn for three courses, and a third yarn for three courses. Or, the same cam 45 or 45 could be used with a double ratchet control, one ratchet controlling the operations of the other, to cause repeat operations as desired, with an odd number of strokes to each operation. The results of the particular arrangements shown in Fig. 5 will be later described.

For turning the cam 45 through one step, as 40", for each shift of yarn, there is shown a ratchet wheel 47 containing nine teeth to effect the nine movements of the cam between its nine dwells. The ratchet is attached at the top side of the cam, surrounding the stud 44, and may be automatically advanced, for example at each half reciprocation of the main bar 20 which carries the friction block 21, by connections such as will now be described.

The ratchet wheel 47 is shown as operated alternately by a first pawl 50 and a second pawl 60, these being carried respectively on pawl carriers 51 and 61, loose on the stud 44, the pawls being pulled by springs 52 and 62 into contact with the ratchet. The pawl carriers are operated respectively by connecting rods 53 and 63, which are moved simultaneously in one longitudinal direction or the other by means of the excess movement of the bar 20 relative to the block 21. For example the rods 53, 63 may extend from the carriers 51, 61 to a member or standard 64 to which the rods are pivoted. When the member 64 and connecting rods move relatively rightward as seen in Figs. 1 and 2 the pawl 50 will advance the ratchet to the extent of one tooth while the pawl 60 is idle, merely clicking back upon the next tooth. On the return movement of the connecting rods the pawl 60 advances the ratchet by one, tooth while the pawl 50 is idle.

The standard 64 from which the pawl operating rods 53 and 63 take their actuation is shown as moved by the relative excess sliding of the bar 20 through the stopped block 21. For this purpose it is mounted at the top end of a second or supplemental friction block 65 slidable on the same reciprocating bar 20 as the main friction block 21. The supplemental block may be analogous in construction to the main block, having a spring friction device 66.

During the main part of each reciprocation or stroke of the bar 20 in each direction the two blocks 21 and 65 will move with it in unison. Toward the end of each stroke however the'main block 21 is brought to a'stop by one or the other of the fixed stops 23 or 24. The bar however continues in motion thereafter, sliding through the block 21, and this motion continues the motion of the supplemental block 65 until it is stopped. as will next be described, thus producing the relative motion between the two. blocks following each reciprocation as required'for the operation of the connecting rods and pawls.

To control and limit the relative movements of the block 65 a special stop rod 69 is shown, which might be mounted on either block, but is mounted on the main block 21 and extends through a part, as the standard 64, of the supplemental block. A mit 70 secures the rod to the casting 27 of the main block. On the stop rod 69 is a pair of stops '71 and '72. The right hand stop 71 limits the relative approach of block 65 to block 21 when the rod 29 is moving rightward. The stop 72 limits the separation of the blocks when the bar 20 is moving leftward, Figs. 1 and 2 showing the parts in this position. The two stops ll, 72 are adjustable on the rod 69, and may be set, for example, to allow a relative movement of 1 inches of block 65, the entire stroke of bar 20 being, for example, 18 inches and the stroke of block 20 from 14 inches down. The uniform relative motion of 1 inches is what actuates the rods 53 and 63 in'each operation so as to work the pawls and ratchet to advance the cam 45 as described.

When it is desired to throw this system out of operation it is only necessary to slide the block 65 until its standard 64 contacts with the stop 71, whereupon a special latch or lock 75, mounted on the stop 72, may be swung over and down to prevent the standard 64 moving back relatively to the stop rod 69; whereupon the block 65 becomes substantially unitary with the blook 21 and no pawl or ratchet operation occurs.

Figs. 8 to 13 show the mechanism in skeleton diagram. The carrier rods 2, 3,4 are to be understood as extending the full length of the machine, which may knit twelve pairs of stockings simultaneously. When the stocking is to be narrowed the strokes of the carrier rods must be shortened, and as the rods take their actuation from the bar 20, the stops 23, 24-have only to be adjusted more and more closely together for the narrowing, and the reverse for widening. The present invention controls automatically the interchange of carriers and yarns without respect to changes of stroke. The rods 2, 3 and 4 are the selected'rods for the yarn changing operations, as before stated, these rods having the forks or couplings 12, 13 and 14 respectively, the fork 13 standing to the right of 12 and 14 in Fig. 8, and Fig. 2 therefore showing only forks 12 and 14, fork 13 being beyond the drawing; Fig. 2 showing also a fork 16 on rod 6 not taking part in the operations being described.

The operation, as disclosed by Figs. 8 to 13 is as follows: In Fig. 8 a cam dwell a is in effect and the slider coupling or finger 34 is in engagement with the carrier rod coupling or fork 14, all at the left end of their traverse. The main block 21 has met stop 23 and block 65 has moved further, opening the gap between the blocks, pulling the rods or links 53, 63, and advancing the cam 45 to the position shown, causing the finger 34 to shift from fork 12 to fork 14.

The bar 20 next shifts rightward, as in Fig. 9,

the finger 34 thereby shifting fork 14 and rod 4 from their left tq right position as shown, thus laying in the needle bank the yarn carried by the carrier of rod 4. The block 21 has met and been stopped by stop 24, and the bar has carried the block 65 rightward thus pushing the links 53, 63'and turning the cam 45 until a dwell 0 engages the roll 36, the cam incline thus shifting the slider 30 to cause finger 34 to engage ferk 13 on rod 3 as seen in Fig. 9. Always there is one fork of the three at each end of the traverse and the third fork either in transit or at one end 34 engages fork 14 for the next stroke. Fig. 12

shows the next stroke, fork 14 having shifted to the left. In dotted lines it shows also the next stroke, the fork 13 being shifted to the right, Fig. 13 shows the next shift, fork 12 moving to the left, only fork 13 remaining at the right, this duplicating the initial position of Fig. 8.

The threads or yarns represented by carrier rOds 2, 3 and 4 have thus been combined, interchanged or blended automatically for the purposes hereof; in the described mechanism the interchange being made at every course, but the order and frequency of interchange being changeable by change of cam contour or manner of cam actuation as already described.

The controlling cam 45 or 45X is onlyan example, as variousmeans can be used to shift the finger to engage one or another carrier rod fork, operated by reason of the excess motion of the reciprocating bar 20 in the friction block 21. The second friction block is a preferred embodiment, but the excess bar movement can otherwise actuate the cam or controller, as by a positive pull on the links 53, 63; or the bar movement can turn a wheel mounted on the block and thence actuate the cam.

The selector-slider 30 may be retracted to a back position and latched there clear of the rod forks, for example when the invention is not being used and the latch '75 is set to prevent relative play of the two friction blocks; namely by a special latch '76 having a contact screw 77, as seen in Figs. -1,- 2 and 4. When the slider is manually thrust clear back, the latch '76, shown suspended from the top plate 32, may be swung up, around and down in front of the part 3'7 of the slider, the screw '77 contacting part 37, so as to hold back the slider and put it out of commission until again unlatched.

The invention may be described as pertaining to any knitting machine having the yarn carrier rods, the longitudinally reciprocating bar, and v the block reciprocated thereby for operating the rods, with stops limiting the block to a shorter stroke than the bar; and as characterized by couplings or forks on the respective rods, a coupling selector or slider shiftable on the block to engage selectively the rod couplings, and means operated by the excess motion of the bar relatively to the block for causing the selector to shift from one rod coupling to another preceding each stroke of the block. Any sort of mechanism operated by the excess motion of the bar relatively to the block may broadly serve the purpose of the present invention. A cam on the block is shown, with a ratchet and two pawls, one pawl actuating the ratchet and cam at each single stroke, as described, the pawls operated from a supplemental block; but the principle may be embodied in indefinitely varied forms.

If desired one of the two pawls may be omitted 'as in Fig. 2 indicated, a selector shift then taking place only after every double stroke or reciprocation of the bar and main block. In this case the carrier rod forks will always stand at the same end of their traverse and each will be moved along and back one or more times before a new shift of the selector. In this specific instance is shown the same type of cam as in Fig. 5 so there will thus be laid six courses of each thread or yarn before shifting to the next, permitting the formation of stripes of substantial width, and this plan may be extended on obvious lines.

A similar effect is obtainable on the Fig. 2 form by swinging away from the ratchet the pawl 50 In the preferred form the selector is a slider,

shiftable transversely on the main block, its coupling finger thus selectively engageable with the carrier rod forks. The block also carries the cam as a device to shift the selector, operable by the excess motion to turn the cam after every single stroke, or at least every double stroke of the block. Preferably the excess motion is utilized by means of the supplemental block, which preferably is reciprocated in tandem with the main block, but has a longer stroke in each longitudinal direction, so that the supplemental block has a continued relative motion after each stoppage of the main block. The illustrative construction embodies a connection or link from the supplemental to the main block to actuate the device or cam that shifts the selector, and conveniently this connection works through pawl and ratchet to rotate the cam. Preferably also the supplemental block is not fast but slidable on the bar, and its relative motion is limited by cooperative stops on the respective blocks, which thus determine the extent of the excess motion. a

While the block-carried selector hereof is shown as cooperating with three only yarn rods, manifestly the described invention can be extended to a greater number, even to all eight rods, by a further application of the principles and arranging of suitable selective shifting means.

There has thus been described a knitting machine or attachment embodying the principles and attaining the objects of the present invention. Since various matters of combination, construction and mode of operation may be modified without departing from the principles it is not intended to limit the invention to such matters except to the extent set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is: 1. A knitting machine having yarn carrier rods, a longitudinally reciprocating bar, and a block reciprocated by the bar for operating the carrier rods; .and characterized by couplings on the respective rods, a coupling selector mounted on the block and shiftable thereon to engage selectively the rod couplings, stops limiting the block to a shorter stroke than the bar, and means operated by the excess motion of the bar relatively to the block for causing the selector to shift from one I rod coupling to another.

2. A machine as in claim 1 and wherein the selector is a slider shiftable transversely on the block and having a coupling or finger engageable selectively with the couplings of the respec-, tive carrier rods. 1

3. A machine as in claim 1 and wherein the selector is transversely shiftable on the block,

the block carrying a device or cam for shifting the selector, and connections for operating the device operable after every doublereciprocation of the block.

the respective rods, a coupling selector mounted on the main block and shiftable thereon to engage selectively the rod couplings, fixed stops limiting the block to a shorter stroke than the bar; a supplemental block reciprocated by the bar adjacent to the main block but with a longer stroke in each longitudinal direction, whereby following each stroke of the main block the supplemental block has a continued motion relative thereto, and mechanism operated by the continued motion of the supplemental block relatively to, the main block for causing the'selector to' shift from one rod coupling to another.

6. A machine as in claim 5 and wherein the selector shifting mechanism comprises a device or cam on the main block for shifting the selector and a connection or link from the supplemental block for actuating said device 7. A machine as in claim 5 and wherein the selector shifting mechanism comprises a rotary cam on the main block for shifting the selector, a pawl and ratchet for rotating the cam, and a link from the supplemental block for actuating the pawl and ratchet.

8. A machine as in claim 5 and wherein the selector shifting mechanism comprises a cam on the main block, a ratchet for actuating the cam, twopawls for advancing the ratchet, and connections from the supplemental block to operate the pawls alternately on the successive strokes of the blocks.

9. A knitting machine having yarn carrier rods, a longitudinally reciprocating bar, and a main block reciprocated by the bar for operating the carrier rods; and characterized by couplings on the respective rods, a coupling selector mounted on the main block and shiftable thereon to engage selectively the rod couplings, flxedstops limiting the block to a shorter stroke than the bar, a supplemental block reciprocated by the bar in tandem with the main block but with a longer stroke in each longitudinal direction,

10. A machine as in claim 5 and wherein is a latch means to prevent movement of the supplemental block relative tothe main block and thereby to render inoperative the selector shifting mechanism.

11. A machine as in claim 1, and wherein the selector has a device for releasing it from its shifting means whereby it may be shifted manually to engage and operate continuously the coupling of a single carrier rod.

HORACE B. KNOX. 

